Patriota

Patriota (patɾiotɐ, Patriot), abbreviated PATRI and formerly known as the National Ecological Party (Partido Ecológico Nacional, abbreviated PEN), is a right-wing to far-right political party in Brazil. It was registered in the Superior Electoral Court in the summer of 2012. The President of the party is the former State Deputy of São Paulo Adilson Barroso, who before creating PEN was a member of the Social Christian Party. The party's Superior Electoral Court identification number is 51. Its platform involves support for conservative policies, a strong national military policy, zero tolerance politics regarding violence and crime, support for the Brazilian agrarian sector, and rejection of social and indigenous movements like the Landless Workers' Movement as well as an anti-communist stance. It is against corruption in Brazil, and seeks to uphold traditional values based on Christian ethics. The party has links with the Assemblies of God, the largest Christian evangelical denomination in Brazil. The party was founded as the National Ecological Party (PEN) in 2011. The party was a centre-right green conservative party, originally meant to attract environmentalist politician Marina Silva in case her party did not get the authorization to take part in the 2014 Brazilian general election. This proposal failed and the party obtained a small quantity of votes in the 2014 elections, while endorsing then presidential candidate Aécio Neves. In 2017, the PEN changed when Jair Bolsonaro announced he would enter the party, in a bid to run for President of Brazil in the 2018 Brazilian general election. PEN changed its name to Patriota (PATRI) and abandoned its former environmentalist ideals to become a right-wing conservative party pursuing a right-wing populist agenda, influenced by Donald Trump's victory in the 2016 United States presidential election and Brexit. Patriota has renounced its green and pro-ecologist policies in favor of its conservative and nationalist policies; it has maintained and strengthened its religious opposition to abortion, same-sex marriage, and other socially progressive policies.